


Trouble Undercover

by Kaiseilin



Series: Trouble Undercover [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Nightwing (Comic), Robin (Comics)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-03-10
Updated: 2012-04-09
Packaged: 2017-11-01 18:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/359691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaiseilin/pseuds/Kaiseilin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Damian goes undercover with the help of his brothers to attract the attention of 'Ringleader'.</p>
<p>WARNING: Mentions of child prostitution, rape, murder, drug use and violence. No graphic depictions but it is talked about, Ringleader is not a nice man.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> From my Tumblr, posting here to make easier to read. Please read the warnings in the summary.

“This is _hilarious._ ”

 

“Shut up or die.”

 

“Funny, your threats don't have quite the same impact when you're like this.”

 

“Death. Impending death.”

 

“Tim, Damian, be quiet for a second -Damian hold still!”

 

“Why is he here!?”

 

Alfred placed a tray of drinks down near to the three men...two and a half men...his own face wrinkling in amusement at the scene.

 

Dick was currently blushing up Damian's cheeks with a rosy pink colour that matched his _dress._

 

“Alfie you were totally right, this colour suits him _much_ more than the lighter one.” Dick said, face fixed in concentration as he swept the colour onto the boy's face, picking up the lip-gloss next.

 

“I believe his half eastern skin tone fares better with the darker shades, master Dick.”

 

“Definitely.” Dick finished the gloss, fixed the wig on Damian's head a little, tugging it into a more natural settlement. “All the past make-up was a few shades too pale, shame we couldn't put it to use again.”

 

“Shame I have to take it back again...” Tim mumbled from the other side of Damian, fixing the back of the wig.

 

“Tch, we all know you wear it every day, Drake, your cross-dressing hobbies are not a secret.”

 

Tim's fingers twitched in the wig as he tried to refrain from smacking the boy in the back of the head.

 

“I do not wear it.” He grumbled. “That's a bit of a statement coming from ' _Little Miss Sophia Jackson'_ isn't it?”

 

“Guys!” Dick interjected again, grabbing Damian's chin between his fingers to keep him still. “Trying to work here!”

 

“Why are you so adept at this Grayson?” Damian smirked. “Is this something _both_ you and Drake do at the weekends?”

 

Dick smirked back wryly. “You'd be surprised how many times we've had to go through this. The girls in this family are always conveniently busy when the need for female roles in undercover missions arise.”

 

“Cass is useless at make-up anyway, she's never really had any interest or experience because of the whole...y'know, lifestyle.”

 

Dick laughed, ruffling Damian's now chestnut brown fringe into a natural hang. “Is it bad we're probably better at this than most of the women in this family anyway?”

 

“Steph's pretty good. Not like...turning a guy into a decent woman good but still.” Tim finished with his wig adjusting, tugging the ties of Damian's dress a little tighter to pull his waist in, taking some pleasure in the annoyed huffs of breath he heard as a result.

 

The three of them stood when everything was finished and surveyed their work, Alfred gave a nod of approval, amusement crinkling his eyes.

 

“Wonderful work, sirs.”

 

Damian was now a ten year old girl, preened and pretty and doll-like, just the way their target liked.

 

The target was a lowlife that went by the alias Ringleader and had been running some kind of sick child prostitution drug scene recently. Outside of his theatrical name, he was known as David Hunter, businessman, high flyer in the world of stocks and numbers and statistics. Filthy rich. Paedophile. Rapist. Drug dealer. The lot.

 

Tonight he was to be attending a business party celebrating the new development of hospitals funded by Wayne Enterprises. He would be there upon invitation from Dick himself. Nothing too unusual, people high in the world of business were expected to attend these kinds of parties. This time however it was to catch the filthy excuse for a human and take him and his gang of thugs out of business. For that though they needed to find their centre of work, and for that they needed a way into it.

 

This is what brought the undercover aspect into play. From observation, Ringleader went for those aged nine to fifteen, the younger and cuter looking the better. They had to be dolly, wide eyed, innocent looking, a typical 'girly-girl'.

 

Exactly what they saw in front of them now – minus the scowl.

 

Damian's age and mostly pre-pubescent face meant he was perfect for the role, his features were still rounded and child-like and with Alfred's acting classes and his own impersonation skills he could easily be trained to fit the part.

 

Not that he was pleased about it, he looked completely sour, Dick sighed.

 

“I know you don't like this but we need to catch this crook, you have to loose the...trained assassinness...”

 

“I am well aware of my role and do not need your poor attempt at adjectives shoved in my face, Grayson.”

 

“Someone’s embarrassed.” Tim sang, face gleeful, ducking to block a kick from a foot covered by ivory Mary Jane shoes and knee high frilly socks.

 

“If I may say,” Alfred interrupted, taking pity on Damian. “Master Damian's acting skills were quite impressive, I have no doubt Ringleader will be completely fooled.”

 

“I was trained at impersonation, I only had to observe these females in a park to get their voice pitch and traits. Unlike _some_ ” He gave a pointed look at Tim, who scowled. “I am also a quick learner and am perfectly capable of fulfilling this obviously easy role better than those before me.”

 

“So what you're saying is you're skilled in being a girl.”

 

“ _Acting. Undercover Impersonation.”_ Damian hissed venomously, fists tightening and Dick quickly interrupted, giving Tim a warning look.

 

“There is a certain degree of hostility in the air tonight, do excuse me while I set up arrangements for later.” Alfred left, patting Dick on the shoulder as he went with a wry look.

 

“For this to work I need you to both be serious.” He said, air of jollity vanquished. “There's a dangerous reason behind this mission and it isn't a joking matter starting now. You know what to do, don't you?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Dick took a look at two serious faces before him, allowed himself a small smile. “Lets get this show on the road then.”

 

-

 

Dick arrived at the party, left the limo gracefully,waving the the public in a flurry of flashes as he'd been doing as Bruce Wayne's ward for years. Nobody noticed the briefest of glances he gave to one man and his child stood in the crowds. Tim and Damian, or rather Arthur and Sophia Jackson, as they would be known tonight; father and daughter.

 

He kept looking at them indiscreetly as he shook peoples hands and introduced himself on auto-pilot. Any earlier worries about Damian's acting under the pair up and circumstances began melting away as he watched the boy, _girl_ , wave in his direction excitedly, clinging to Tim's hand like any awestruck ten year old girl with a crush on the Wayne company holders air. If he didn't know any better he would never have said it was Damian. He wondered what Tim was making of this as he stood over there holding Damian's hand and listening to him, presumably squealing like any ten year old girl. He saw a brief look of shock cover his brothers face, before he snapped back into character, scolding 'Sophia' for being excitable and tugging 'her' back beside him. Tim was wearing a special effects mask they had recently created, giving him the appearance of a man in his mid thirties.

 

They were flawless, Dick disguised a smile of pride as a response to the people he was talking to, laughing at their comment and giving a flash of his teeth. As he did so, Tim's voice spoke in his ear.

 

“ _Found him, upper west corner of the building, talking to a bunch of people on the stairs.”_

 

With his hands behind his back he gave the signal to let Tim know he'd gotten the message, a casual stretch of his thumb, mindless movement to anyone untrained.

 

Dick could see Ringleader, or Mr Hunter as he would be introducing himself as now, probably scanning the crowds for his next victims. He figured it was time to introduce himself.

 

“Mr Hunter – glad you could make it!” He beamed at the man as he jogged up the stairs to greet him.

 

“Mr Grayson, thank you for the invite, Wayne enterprises has been doing rather well lately I see.” The man spoke back, Dick couldn't tell whether the enthusiasm was forced or the man was genuinely happy to be in such high-class hunting grounds.

 

“Not been doing so bad yourself these days either so I've heard.” He continued the small talk, observed the man in front of him. He looked like the regular thriving business type, not too shady, well presented. It was his eyes, Dick didn't like. He could see they were scanning the room much like he was before. They were _trained_ eyes. Right about on cue he noticed the eyes focus, not obviously but definitely for a moment, on someone behind him, and as expected, 'Sophia and Arthur Jackson' came into their range of hearing.

 

Dick, as rehearsed, called 'Mr Jackson's' name and Tim, feigned surprise, greeted him warmly.

 

“Mr Hunter, this is a good friend of mine, Arthur Jackson, Arthur this is-”

 

“David Hunter.” Tim gave a smile to Dick and Ringleader. “Nice to meet you.” They shook hands, then Tim nodded to Damian. “This is my daughter, Sophia. Say hello Sophie.”

 

It was weird, knowing this was Damian. The young girl in front of him, clutching her 'fathers' trouser leg and hiding a little in shyness bore no resemblance in mannerism, expression or speech to Damian at all. When he bashfully stepped out a little and looked up at Ringleader with wide eyes and said 'Hello' in a voice as feminine as any girls, Dick wanted to hug him and pinch his rosy cheeks. He'd probably get a punch in the face if he tried.

 

“Known this little princess since she was a baby, haven’t I Miss Jackson.” Dick crouched to Damian's level and smiled with all of his teeth at him. Not an inch out of character, Damian smiled back, apparently delighted and nodded enthusiastically with a hint of embarrassment. Absolutely perfect.

 

Ringleader was probably lapping it up, a prime suspect here on show for him. This was confirmed when his interest continued.

 

“So Mr Jackson, is your family part of the business or...?” He left the question unfinished and Tim continued.

 

“Me? Heavens no! I'm not nearly clever enough to do what you men do, I'm a regular old science teacher at Sophie’s school.” He glanced down and patted Damian's head affectionately. “The wife is the one with the brains, she's assistant CEO of Napson media, a very busy woman, you probably know, being in business too.” He looked down to Damian, who was tapping his rounded toes quite adorably on the ground. “That's why she couldn’t make it today, hmm Sophie?”

 

Damian nodded in agreement and Tim smiled. “Always nice having friends in high places.” He laughed. “She's been dying to come to one of 'Uncle Grayson's' parties for months haven’t you?” More enthusiastic nodding and a smile at Dick so earnest his chest warmed a little. Damian was swinging off Tim's arm, showing an airy concentration span, just how Ringleader liked.

 

“And why wouldn't she eh?” Ringleader grinned, Dick was sure all three of them saw the hungry look behind his eyes. “All young ladies like parties, isn't that right Miss?” He crouched to Damian level like Dick had done and watched him nod and smile. Dick felt a protective nature surge within him, he noticed Tim's hand clench Damian's smaller one a little tighter. They needed to calm down and remember they were still in full view of the public and this was _Damian_ they were looking at, not Sophia Jackson. He was just _damn good_ at acting.

 

“Shall we move on inside a little gentleman, get ourselves a drink?” Dick suggested and both agreed. Dick's eyebrows raised when Damian tugged his sleeve, he took the boys hand in his own as they walked. Tim still had his other hand. He beamed, looking proud of his family, Dick noticed the Ringleader's eyes flash at the adorable family scene.

 

“Quite the adoring little lady you've got yourself.” He commented and Tim gave another laugh.

 

“Daddy's girl through and through.” He nodded.

 

“The best way to be at their age, it's when they hit their teens and you become the 'Bank of Dad' that you've got a problem.”

 

“Well, god help me then, I'm the Bank of Dad already and she's only ten! You wouldn't _believe_ the price of ballet lessons! She insists on going though.”

 

“Ten years old hmm, it's a nice age to be.”

 

Damian's grin tightened on Dick's hand a moment at the comment and smile Ringleader gave him, Dick squeezed it back in warning, though sure, his face hadn't shown the disgust.

 

They took drinks off an attendee, Tim asked one of the waiters for cola for Damian and they chatted while they waited. Damian continued to bounce on his feet, smile at the crowds and swing Tim's arm. People came to greet Dick and commented on Damian's cuteness, he played up to it, muttering bashful 'Thank you's' and complimenting the women’s dresses and hair. He shook a few of Dick's male associates by the hand as they crouched to say hello and Dick watched, with concealed revulsion, as Ringleaders pupils dilated with attraction to the way the men's larger hands firmly took 'Sophia’s'. He wanted to hurt this sick bastard so much. The way his chest heaved, it was arousal at the interaction, the child, Damian, Sophia.

 

It was certain it wouldn't be too hard to get him to take the bait.

 

Dick just hoped there were no hidden surprises.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Mentions of child prostitution, rape, drug use and violence.

Damian was gone.

 

Dick Grayson's chest burnt as he tore along an upper corridor, this was taking too damn _long_. They were never ending. It would be too late soon. He could hardly hear Tim, shouting behind him, all he could think about was how stupid he'd been. He should never have gotten distracted.

 

_Shit._

 

Twenty seconds. Thirty seconds. One minute. They were running out of time. He'd be getting away by now surely.

 

The window approached them, he pulled the cape tighter around himself, hand on his grapple gun.

 

Two minutes.

 

_Shit._

 

They leapt through the open window and into the night sky. He grappled to a building and swung, vision circling in on the wide dingy alley where he could see a lit car. An expensive car. Several men were pushing their way into it quickly, exhaust steam billowing up.

 

_Shit._

 

Gravity just wasn’t happening _fast_ enough. Fuck he wished he could fall faster. He wished he'd kept a better eye on Damian.

 

There was no time for that now. The car was looming into view, the Batmobile had been called, he could hear it's engines roaring in the distance. Tim shouted something again but Ringleaders car was so close. He thought he saw a small body shadowed through the window, surrounded by larger ones.

 

_Shit._

 

The car sped away, screeching tires echoes in Dick's head as his heart fell, hitting every rib on it's way into the base of his stomach. He landed hard, angry, worry setting through him, wishing the god damn Batmobile would hurry up. Why was everything so _slow?!_ He suddenly had an idea of how Wally felt. He wished he was here right now. He wished someone could run to the car, now in the distance, and just stop it. So he could catch up and beat all the guys inside senseless, save for one. He wanted to beat himself senseless.

 

The Batmobile was here. Three minutes too late.

 

Damian was gone.

 

-

 

_-Several hours earlier-_

 

-

 

As undercover missions went, there was a lot of time in which you just went with events until something key happened. In the past hour or so, there was a lot of chatting, meeting and greeting, a little eating, usual party stuff. Just keeping casual, observing, going with the flow of things until a specific event happened.

 

Damian continued to play his part perfectly. Dick knew he must be getting impatient playing this role all night long but it didn't show in the slightest. He caught Tim scratching the top of his head, he knew wearing the mask could get itchy after a while.

 

The speech came and went, routine thanking people involved with the business. He really wasn't into this side of things, Bruce was so much better at it. Socialising he could do but business...boring.

He kept an eye on his party from the speech podium. Damian's seemingly short attention span could be excused due to his age. He used this to keep gazing at Ringleader, much to his obvious pleasure, as he stood quite close and kept smiling down at who he thought was Sophia Jackson.

 

Dick toasted with a group of people after this, he noticed Damian talking to Ringleader, looking wide-eyed and curious. Ringleader didn't once touch him but the desire to was there in his movements and his eyes.

 

It wouldn't be long, surely.

 

He noticed Damian tug Tim's shoulder. The elder crouched as Damian, quite adorable whispered something secretive in his ear and Tim excused himself to Ringleader, leading Damian away by the hand.

 

Dick apologised to his party and walked over to the man, now stood by himself.

 

“Enjoying yourself?” He asked, keeping the sarcastic tone he wanted to use, in his head.

 

“Yes I am, thank you again for inviting me. It has been...enlightening.”

 

“Wonderful.” Dick didn't let the odd comment stumble him. “Where has the princess got to?”

 

“Ah, I believe they excused themselves to the bathroom.”

 

“Ah I see, speaking of which, you'll have to excuse me a moment too.” Dick winked, turned and left, hurrying along the corridors, nodding his head to people in passing until he reached the bathrooms. He came to a stop in front of the larger disabled toilet and took a look up the the security cameras. Before he could call him, Tim's voice spoke in his ear.

 

“Already disabled it, I thought you'd follow us.”

 

He smiled and opened the door to the bathroom after a quick check nobody was in the corridor. Inside he found Tim and Damian, holding onto electrical equipment. It was amazing how they switched between character. Outside of this room the switch was instant, they were Arthur and Sophia Jackson. Inside, they were themselves. Damian had the scowl on his face again, mannerisms restored, eyes serious. Tim, even through the mask, was concentrating fiercely, as only Tim could.

 

“Disgusting. Lecherous. Putrid. Filthy. Indecent excuse for a human.” Damian growled quietly to himself, looking furious. Dick didn't blame him, Ringleader had probably been casually leering over him all night, Dick couldn't notice everything, just there about.

 

“For once, I agree.” Tim grunted, fiddling with dials. “He should be contacting the rest of them soon, he was waiting for us to leave.”

 

“Good work. Do you have his signal?” Tim gave him an obvious look that was undeniably _Tim_ even through the fake layers of skin, Dick smiled sheepishly. “Okay okay boy wonder of _course_ you have the signal already.”

 

“He's speaking.” Tim said suddenly, he clicked something on his left temple and the three of them stilled and listened as Ringleaders voice came over their earpieces.

 

“You wouldn't believe her, absolutely gorgeous, perfect work of art.” A short, disturbing laugh. “Of course...I might keep her for myself, it's not often you find one so suited to your own tastes. The previous bored me...this one looks like a screamer. I have a rope that will go lovely with her skin tone.”

 

Damian shuddered beside them, dropping to a crouch and breathing deeply. Dick wanted to comfort him but he felt it would be of no use at the moment, they were still on a mission.

 

“We'll take her, before the end of the night...there's nothing to worry about, the father's not of importance. Get the car ready and wait for my instruction. Goodbye.”

 

Dick exhaled quietly as Tim did some more fiddling with the devices, presumably tracing the call.

 

“The receiver of the call was already on the move, probably changed direction to drive here. We'll have to wait for them to go back.”

 

Dick nodded, gave a look to Damian, who was strangely quiet, he looked ill.

 

“We wont let him get you.” He reassured, the younger boy gave his trademark hiss of breath and stood, the morose look was gone and his face was masked with seriousness again. When he left the room it would be like before.

 

Tim hid all the devices in his suit again, they prepared to leave. “The plan doesn't change.” He reminded them, he wished it had. He wished Damian didn't have to go with them, it was so risky. He had faith that he could take care of himself though, when the time came, they would be following the car, they wouldn’t let him get far out of sight. Damian knew how to fight, how to escape.

 

They left the bathroom, Dick knowing the twitch of Tim's hand in his pocket was him switching the security cams back to normal.

 

They found Ringleader in the outdoor area, tales with candles were scattered about casting an orange glow over the place. On a non-mission night it would have been quite pretty. He was by railings looking out over the gardens. He nodded to them as they approached. The waiter who'd been tending to them all night brought them another round of drinks, Damian's cola already on the tray. Dick thanked him as they re-grouped.

 

“Lovely night.” Ringleader noted, looking out into the dark. “Care to sit?”

 

“Of course.” Dick replied, hating his own fake voice. Ringleader seemed re-charged somehow, excited, they knew why.

 

He couldn't wait to punch this guy in the face.

 

They sat around one of the tables and continued to chat, Dick spoke about the business as best he could, admitting to his poor skills. Tim spoke about 'Sophia' and her entire fake life. Damian sipped his cola, looking around and out at the fields with a slight uncomfortable dazed visage. Dick wondered if he was still feeling ill with disgust.

 

“A bat!” He piped up a while into the conversation, sliding off the table, holding his coke, showing a little of his thighs in the process. A move that didn’t go unnoticed, Dick saw ringleaders pupils flash downwards and his fist clenched under the table.

 

“Don't go too far, honey.” Tim warned.

 

Some time in the future when they weren't all bullshitting everyone around them and when Tim and Damian were fighting, he would remind them of the times Tim called him 'honey' and 'darling'. The thought made him smile, though it was short lived when Ringleader also got up and followed Damian. They were only a metre or two away, the table was right next to the railings. Damian sat on the bars, legs swinging over the edge.

 

“I believe there's a little cave just down there where the bats live.” He said, crouching beside him and pointing somewhere over the field in the distance. “Do you like bats?”

 

Damian nodded, drinking and smiling at Ringleader. “I like the wings.” He giggled.

 

“Be careful near the edge.” Tim warned again, Dick thought he might have heard genuine concern.

 

“I'll keep an eye on her Mr Jackson, don't you worry.” Ringleader reassured, though it did quite the opposite. He went on to tell Damian more about the bats living in the field. Dick tried to maintain casual conversation with Tim but knew they were both keeping an eye on the pair.

 

A crash diverted several peoples attention to their table as a man knocked himself off balance on one of the chairs and spilled his drink over them. Dick was already reassuring the man as he spluttered and apologised profusely, eyes growing wider in horror when he realised it was Dick Grayson himself, only the host of the party and head of Wayne Enterprise. He was probably wishing he could throw himself over the railings right now.

 

Railings.

 

Damian.

 

He and Tim turned, simultaneously back to the railings. He felt like vomiting when he realised both Damian and Ringleader had disappeared in the split second of commotion.

 

“So-”

 

The fire alarm then interrupted Tim's calling of Damian's undercover name. The drink spiller apologised again and hurried away as the crows began to panic and exit in confusion. There were hundreds of people here. The doors were crowded and blocked. People were pushing.

 

Dick ignored it. He and Tim got up and ran the opposite direction. Tim took out his tracker and lead the way, barking out directions to Dick as they passed.

 

“He's fast! He's going up floors, they must have gone up through the basement!” They ducked into a kitchen window, already vacated by the staff, dashed through it and into the back corridors. From a coded floor panel in a storage closet they retrieved a bag each containing their uniforms. Dick's heart was pounding. “Shit!” Tim cursed. “They've jammed the elevator system.”

 

“Stairs!” They turned, began running for dear life, upwards. The fire alarm was still wailing, echoing off marbled floors and rattling his brain.

 

_Damian._

 

_Damian._

 

_Damian._

 

“Seventh floor!”

 

More stairs, round in circles, never fast enough. Tim was tearing his shirt off to put on the Red Robin costume. Dick yanked his cowl from the bag and put it on as he sprinted.

 

“Ninth floor!”

 

“Change!” Dick yelled and they rolled onto a wall in sync and removed the rest of their clothing, fixing up their uniforms in a few seconds and carried on running seamlessly.

 

“He's heading to the top I think! If we get to the nineteenth floor there’s a fire escape we can grapple to!”

 

“I love you buddy!” Dick grinned, though it was full of worry, he saw it in Tim's eyes too. They were wondering how Damian could have been taken so easy. Damian, who was always vigilant, strong and clever and capable of beating groups of grown men with his hands tied behind his back, blindfolded. Something wasn't right.

 

Floor 19. they came to the fire shoot and grappled up as many floors as they could. They came to a long corridor with an open window at the end. They didn't even look at each other, just continued to run, capes billowing behind them. Dick had his grapple gun ready.

 

His worry was growing with each thud of his foot against the flooring, blood pounded in his ears as he continued to worry for Damian. Ringleader was far more organised than they thought, there was now way the fire alarm was coincidental. He couldn't even be sure the spilled drink was accidental. He tried to remember back before the incident, when they first got outside and sat at the table. Damian had been the same as before.

 

No. No wait. The dazed look.

 

_Shit._

 

He thought it was the childish acting again at the time but now he remembered, it was the first drink the waiter had brought for him without being asked. Ringleader had asked the waiter for them, surely, as they were on their way back to meet him. They had underestimated him tonight. He could have had one of his guys working at the bar.

 

There was something, too, wrong about this chase. The signal. A helicopter, he could hear one, it explained the height. Something _wasn't right_.

 

It was explained as they sailed through the polluted Gotham air and spotted the car struggle. A diversion. He didn't care if there was a helicopter right near them, possibly Ringleader getting away. He didn't care how they had been lead completely astray. All he cared about was getting to that car and getting Damian out.

 

He was heartbroken, as it drove away. Everything was off time, too late. A poor attempt at Batman. A shoddy impersonation he was.

 

He'd promised he wouldn’t let them get Damian.

 

He'd looked him in the eye and promised.

 

Now he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really short, I'm sorry! This isn't the whole of chapter three, this is just part of it. I figured I'd post the first part and next parts and let you guys read it as they're wrote than waiting another several weeks for the whole thing. Let me know if you'd rather wait a long time and get the whole chapter or if you like getting smaller parts more often because I'm happy to do either.

The Batcave, that had once been a complete wonder and often a sanctuary, now felt like a prison cell. Even Tim's furious finger-work on the computer monitors and Alfred's ever calming presence could not settle him. He paced, furious and guilt-filled, heart jumping whenever Tim's hand stilled or he said something. The pacing resumed when he found his brother was just cursing himself or frustratedly thinking a problem through.

 

It was nearly an hour since Damian's kidnapping. They didn't know how far Ringleader's lair was but Dick hoped it was a million miles from the party. The further it was the more time they had before something awful might happen to him. He comforted himself ever so slightly with the fact Ringleader had gotten into a helicopter and not the car and therefore wouldn't be there on the journey to unsettle Damian any more than he already must have been. Though, Dick couldn't put it past the henchmen to do anything they wanted to the poor boy. As sickening as it was, Ringleader's possessiveness, he hoped, would spare Damian any ill-treatment during the car ride. He just prayed to god that the journey was still happening. As soon as the eager criminal and Damian reached the same place...

 

He shuddered and threw himself into a chair next to Tim's by the monitors, face cradled in his hands.

 

“I got his kid kidnapped, T.”

 

“Dick, it wasn't you who did that.” Tim replied sternly.

 

“It wouldn’t have happened if he was here.” Dick could almost feel the disappointed bat-eared shadow looming over his shoulder.

 

“You can't know that. You know it you can't know that. He can't predict everything either, we've _both_ seen him slip up in the past.”

 

Dick looked to Tim out of the corner of his eyes, the younger man has his eyes fixated and burning into the monitor screens. His face looked younger in the odd blue light but everything in his body screamed maturity. Dick often forgot the strain and responsibility that lay under all that mask and strength. He remembered a young, nerdy energetic boy who had worshipped him. That youth had been ripped from him in the past years. Losing Bruce had never been easy on any of them. Tim tried so hard to carry on.

 

“I'm no Batman, Tim.” Dick sighed and closed his eyes again.

 

“Not really, no.” Tim admitted. “You never wanted to be. You're your own identity, not his.” He frowned at the screens, rubbed his eyes thoughtfully and gave a glance to Dick, though the older man couldn't see it for his face remained in his hands. Tim's expression was sorry and for a moment he forgot the resentment over Dick letting him go in favour of Damian. Tim could see in every inch of Dick's body that he cared a lot for the youngest boy. He'd noticed Damian giving his mentor looks like Tim used to give him, when he thought nobody was looking. He couldn't lie to himself and say he wasn't jealous. He was...lonely, was the proper word for it.

 

He shook it off, he had a job to do and letting the past creep up on him wouldn't help. As much as he could be angry at Dick, he loved him, and as much as he was angry at Damian's impact on his life, they were brothers. And moreover, Dick needed Damian. So Tim would help retrieve him.

 

“In some ways, Dick.” He said quietly. “You're a _better_ Batman than he was.”

 

It was true, Dick didn't want to be Batman. For all the skill Bruce had had though, Dick brought a wealth of emotion to the identity that his father had always struggled to give.

 

“...Thanks Timmy.”

 

Tim sensed a smile in Dick's voice and couldn't help one creeping onto his face too. For a moment they were the perfect brothers again.

 

Then the monitor beeped.

 

“Dick.”

 

He was already up and beside him, giving the monitor a look over with a racing heart.

 

“Oracle are you seeing this?” Tim spoke into his headset.

 

“Yes. Already on it, strengthening the signals. I'd get ready if I were you, full networking will be up in under a minute.”

 

“Thanks O.”

 

“Good luck guys.”

 

They sprint, ready themselves and are in the Batmobile as quick as possible. Oracle routes the tracking system to the vehicle and Tim is on it like lighting. Apprehensive they wait for definition, it comes in the longest thirty seconds of Dick's life.

 

Then they're going.

 

-

 


End file.
